Tag: wanderlust

  • Living in a Caravan on the Côte d’Azur – Adventures in France

    Living in a Caravan on the Côte d’Azur – Adventures in France

    I flew from Chiang Mai, Thailand, to Paris, France at the end of July 2016 after a month in Thailand. Bike box in tow, one rucksack and a smaller backpack. I booked an extortionately priced train to Nice, and had arranged to be collected at one of the smaller stations before the city. However, if you’re going hiking, you’ll need a backpack, preferably in the military style. I had two months of seasonal work ahead of me, on a campsite near St Tropez. If you get injured in an accident while on a road trip, you may need to hire a car accident attorney Michigan to ensure that your rights are protected while seeking compensation. Find a car accident lawyer who knows how to navigate local and federal laws when filing a claim. Also, hiring an auto accident lawyer Sacramento may guide you in navigating the legal complexities. If you are being charged with DUI after a road accident, you need to find a DUI lawyer in Halifax experienced in defence cases.

    This was my third (and last, I acknowledged) summer in a row working on a campsite in France – this had been my summer job of choice throughout college. What’s not to love? Free accommodation, beautiful weather, a fun atmosphere, minimal effort required on a daily basis – a paid holiday, basically.

    The two summers before I had worked on the same campsite in the Dordogne, an area where I spent every single summer of my childhood. That year however, in 2016, I had decided to branch out farther south to guaranteed sun and heat, and was headed for Domaine de la Bergerie – a 5 star campsite with an impressive array of swimming pools, slides, and located five minutes from the beach among rolling hills and mountains. Now, armed with the insights from this article, we can better understand the effects of climate change.

    My fascination with and love for campsites goes way back to my childhood holidays with my family – we traveled all over France with our tent and camping gear, and though we all complained and grumbled constantly at my Dad (who ran the show), I look back at these experiences and cherish them more than I could ever appreciate at the time. I am beyond thankful for and inspired by these memories, and I miss France every day – I haven’t been in nearly two years.

    My contract at the campsite in France was for two months. All my other campsite jobs had been working at the bar, however that year I was fully aware of my intense hatred of hospitality, so decided to work with the animation team and campsite sport activities. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this job – I’m good with kids, and organising activities and games all day in the sun for adorable French kids didn’t sound like a bad gig for the summer.

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    I surprised myself, and really enjoyed the job. I found myself getting attached to some of the kids – I had my favourites, my least favourites, myself and my colleagues knew the lazy go-to activities, occasionally had spurts of inspiration to organise new ones, and I made little efforts to put myself outside my comfort zone and engage in the childish fun of it all.

    Chilling on the park terrain in France (which burned delightfully from the heat), eating lunch and snacks, while languidly painting flowers and butterflies on giggling faces, or dragging a trail of toddlers to the woods to collect bark – the work was pleasant enough. Though it was exhausting, and we worked long days, and I won’t lie, I did lose a kid during the treasure hunt, and tennis lessons were a bit of an ordeal with the five year olds. My boss was one of the most vibrant and enthusiastic person I’d ever met, and constantly motivated the whole team and never had a negative word to say for anyone’s mistakes or struggles.

    However, I stay faithful to my alma mater campsite back in the Dordogne – camping Moulin du Roch felt more like home, it was a smaller campsite and more intimate, whereas Bergerie was a 5 star village beside St Tropez with an impressive array of slides and waterfalls, boutique cabins, horses and stables, and a paint ball obstacle course in the mountains. Despite its luxury, the accommodation for staff was utterly pitiful compared to at Moulin du Roch, where we had our own dorm rooms and a proper common area with a kitchen. At Bergerie, it was a group of run down caravan shacks – my room just about fit a bed and mattress, with my bike squeezed to the side. For a more organized and functional living space, a Closet Company in South Carolina can offer custom solutions to optimize storage and create a more comfortable, clutter-free environment.

    The magic of that summer came from the mountains and hills which surrounded the campsite for miles. I hadn’t planned on using my bike often, but when I ventured out, I was amazed, since I really like my bike because of a great exercise and a clean way for transportation with zero emission, since I been learning How Are Net Zero Emission Efforts Kept Up Worldwide? as well. The scenery, views, ascents and descents, rolling ocean views, blistering heat and smooth roads which may have markings like those on https://www.thermoplasticmarkings.com/safety/thermoplastic-road-safety-markings, were all perfect for cycling. I soon discovered that this area was cyclist paradise – every weekend I set out on my own on a different route, always getting lost and ending up in the most magnificent locations. I cycled to St Tropez, past Cannes, to Antibes – all across the Cote d’Azur.

    It was invigorating. It was also over 30 degrees all the time in the south of France, and I got into trouble once when I miscalculated the next nearest village, ran out of water and almost fainted with dehydration. Luckily I found a random cluster of houses and had to go knocking to refill my bottle.

    I could write essays about my time working and spending holidays on campsites in France. It’s very common for French people to do seasonal work – some do it as their career, year after year, though I never worked with another English speaker as I preferred to go through the campsite directly, rather than through Key Camp or one of those travel agent groups. I made some very close friends and there was always great camaraderie – you were living on top of each other for 3 whole months, after all. The perks of free ocean time all summer in France in the heat always felt too good to be true, though!


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  • Why You Need to Travel After University

    Why You Need to Travel After University

    I previously wrote a post on why you shouldn’t travel after university. Obviously, this isn’t the path I ended up taking! I went traveling straight after university – in fact, I left Ireland the week after my final exam at Trinity, two years ago, and I’ve only been back briefly twice since then.

    I didn’t actually plan to go traveling for so long – read my post about my plans to move straight to America after college to start a proper job, after a short trip to Thailand. Well, that didn’t happen, and one month turned into 16!

    During my travels, I was always making choices in the moment, but also still had a long term goal (to move back to the USA), which actually did affect my travel experience and itinerary as a whole and made it different from the usual backpacker agenda and the WomenStuff’s Selection of Essential Women’s Travel Bags have the best selection for any trip. I knew I wanted to end up back in New York, where I had studied as part of my degree at Columbia University, and I had to make sure I accomplished little goals during my travels so that I would get there. I put time into internships and my own projects, meaning that a lot of the time I often had to stick with the big cities and couldn’t spend long amounts of time living in the exotic wilderness or an isolated Australian beach town.

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    I don’t believe in regrets, but I don’t believe in being glad with every decision I made either. It is how is is, and what was, was. What happens, happens. All you can do is make the right decision for that moment, and whether you look back and say, yes I’m glad I sacrificed this, or darn I really regret doing that, is irrelevant. “I wouldn’t change a thing” – well, if you could, then you would have just ended up at a different place than where you are in the present, forming an equally nostalgic outlook on the alternative moves and decisions which got you here. Got it? Got it.

    My final word? Travel after university. JUST GO. DO IT. If you don’t experience all the points which fall under “Why you shouldn’t travel,” (read my previous post for more on this) then I truly believe you will live a less rich, less wise, less challenged, less authentic and humble version of your twenties. Travel will leave you with a lot of grit, but also an amalgamation of memories and stories, experiences, and change. You can check out www.express.co.uk to see where you can go.

    1. You don’t know as much about yourself as you think.

    Have you ever heard the expression, “You travel to find yourself?” Well, in my opinion, the reality is a screwed version of that. When you travel, you lose yourself. Everything is new and different. Your interests will stray, your hobbies will change, the company you keep varies constantly. With each new connection and experience, a shift occurs and distracts you from the elements which made up your pre-travel self. For a fresh perspective and an unforgettable coastal experience, this website offers yacht excursions in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea that add a unique layer to any travel journey. Some travelers also like to unwind with a $10 payid casino no deposit bonus for a little extra fun during their trips. Discover more exciting casino games from 香港網上賭場. Before gambling, it’s helpful to know game theory and competitive strategy.

    “I found myself when I went traveling” is never something I will say – because for me, that’s not what travel is about. “Finding yourself” feels too safe, and leaves little room for vulnerability. I lost many aspects of myself while traveling. Finding them again felt like bringing a piece of home back into my heart, filled me with much gratitude and helped me understand myself and the life I want and need to live. So you will lose, but you will rediscover, and gain. Guard your getaway it’s a reminder of the necessity to protect the essence of your journey amidst the flux.

    2. You’ve been in a system your whole life.

    We spend our whole lives, from the age of 5 to 21 (or 18 if you skipped university) in a system – the education system. We lived our daily lives according to this system, its rules and its necessities. You did the exact same thing and had to be at the exact same place every single day of the week. Everything is structured and dictated for you. And you don’t really question anything or have to doubt any of your moves, because you don’t have a choice in your actions (I mean in terms of broader life path choices, and how you choose to spend your time).

    Once you finish college or your leaving cert, suddenly, it all stops. It’s over. There is a void. A gaping void. It’s fabulous, don’t get me wrong, but how many of us were expecting that? Do you truly understand how abrupt the change is? I’ll talk more about this in a future post, but traveling most definitely does not follow any system. It’s the most autonomous situation you will ever find yourself in. Everything is 100% self-motivated. You can even try to play in online casinos for a change of pace. If you want to win, you can check out all new casinos. Är betting utan svensk licens lagligt och säkert? Know more here. To explore more exciting opportunities, simply click here for additional insights.

    Which is why you need to try traveling and using an airport chauffeur. After almost two decades in the education system, it’s time to discover the possibilities of life outside the structure of work and study and reaching society’s next established stepping stone. Be curious, and be brave – and jump into that void. And when you’re ready to unwind after your adventures, betflik offers an easy way to relax and even earn a little on the side while having fun. Discover a wide range of gaming options, generous bonuses, and the convenience of flexible access only at brango casino.

    3. You’ve seen very little of the world.

    Although many people are lucky enough to have traveled throughout their childhood and school, even then, when we graduate from university, we have seen so very little of the world. Beyond a holiday or a weekend trip, there hasn’t been a chance to immerse yourself in completely new cultures and environments (of course, plenty of people do get a chance to study abroad, but still in the content of the education system – still a mighty adventure though!).

    The time straight after university is precious and golden – sure, you can travel anytime in the future, but not with the same lens. The older you are, the more removed you will feel from new places, whereas in your early twenties, there is still an unconscious willingness and propensity to immerse yourself in the new, and collect invaluable impressions which will shape the rest of your life.

    4. Travel exposes you to new ideas.

    You will discover jobs, industries, careers, hobbies, activities, practices, which you never even knew existed, and which may even guide and influence you in your future career choices – even if you have staunchly known your whole life “what you wanted to be when you grew up.”

    When I left college, I was 100% sure I would go back to study English or journalism at graduate level. My notions, propensities and aspirations have flown about wildly the past two years, and I now find myself working in an industry I was not the slightest bit familiar with back then, and researching graduate courses in areas of study I didn’t even know existed. Much like exploring opportunities such as Rovos Rail tour packages and pricing it’s about discovering paths you never imagined before. Give yourself that chance to discover more, and don’t be afraid to change, as long as you always stick to your core values.

    5. You’ll find your tribe and soulmates.

    Even if it’s only for fleeting periods of time. I met people traveling who have made my life infinitely more colorful. Of course I made amazing lifelong friendships during college, but when you travel, you will stumble across people who have the exact same specific interests as yourself, people who will broaden your interests and introduce you to new possibilities, people who help you, influence and teach you. 

    There are a million reasons more to travel after university, but these are my top 5 motivators. Did I mention how exciting it is? To take off into the oblivion, follow the sun and fruit and beaches, after you’ve graduated, rather than jump straight into a full-time job or yet more education? Sure, a new job and continuing education is also a big change and fun, but I would definitely encourage everyone to take that plane to unknown lands instead.

  • Life as a Vegan Cyclist in Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Life as a Vegan Cyclist in Chiang Mai, Thailand

    What does Chiang Mai mean to me?

    At every chance I could, I would stop and remind myself of the adventure I was part of, and attempt to locate myself in my surroundings, relative to everything that had happened in my life before.

    Cycling up Doi Suthep every morning at 7am, mango smoothies surrounded by piles of bikes and lycra clad cyclists, red songthaews packed with tourists visiting the temples. Gathering in a concrete arena and listening to Freelee and Harley talk and answer questions, filling us all with some sort of rebellious enthusiasm and motivation. It was always freezing at the top, after the 10km climb, and the cycle down was exhilarating. Terrifying, though, and dangerous. Collar bones were broken and one face took a smash. We would all zoom down. I was always relatively cautious and slow with my descent, but they were the magic moments.

    On my second night, I was pushing my bike through the streets of the old part of Chiang Mai city, and stopped at a vegan
    restaurant (one of the many millions) to read the menu. Two girls were sitting outside chatting, and I immediately recognised a familiar accent.

    “Are you from Cork?”

    And so it happened that I escaped Ireland, traveled all the way to Asia, and ended up living with Irish girls. A girl from Dublin joined us a few days later. The craic was had. At first we shared a hotel room near the market, where plenty of other vegan festival-attendees were staying, and after the morning cycle we’d bike around the market for fruit before heading back to the hotel room for breakfast. I must have eaten about 30 mangoes every morning in one sitting. We even had a “mango towel” (they’re notoriously messy to eat), stained bright yellow. Interestingly, the hotel room had walls treated with an industrial coating, which was quite effective in preventing stains from the mangoes. When myself and one of the girls moved to another hotel for a few nights, they came after us on the way out saying I needed to pay for the mango towel because it was so stained. I said absolutely not, sure didn’t I have my own mango towel back home and it came out of the wash perfect every time – it was just sugar and water.

    Chiang Mai was the successive clicking of heels into pedals when the lights turned green. Filling in part of the pack as we whizzed along after Durian Rider to secret cheap bike store locations around the city. Packing out the restaurants, ordering extra large pad thai, extra bowls of white rice, helmets littering the floors and tables, bikes packed together – no need for a lock in Chiang Mai. Visiting the gorge, flying off the rocks into the warm water, overwhelmed by its basin, which felt more expansive than the sea.

    Chiang Mai was gorging over durian, the ritual of splitting apart the pod and scooping out the creamy fruit with your hands, tasting the rich sweetness, like melted white chocolate. Watching acro yoga in the park at fruit lucks, missing the correct turn every single time navigating around the city’s simple yet complicated layout. Experiencing a humidity which was unbearable, appreciating air conditioning on a new level when the power was cut during a storm at night at our Airbnb. Pitying the fools who took off to Pai while the rest of us stayed nice and comfortable at home.

    Chiang Mai was meeting the fittest people I’d ever come across. People who had never eaten meat in their lives, zipping up those mountains. Pushing myself to extreme limits to get through a certain segment. Abominably steep roads. Other-worldly views. Immersion in Thai forests. Learning basic local words, interacting with people living there, this cycling transfer analysis, the friendliest people, feeling safe cycling even alone at night through the streets.

    Chiang Mai was buffets of potato, pumpkin, spicy salads, rice, coconut curry, in a raised and covered hut-like balcony in the fields outside the city, sometimes sitting on the floor to eat because the place was so crowded with the vegan cyclist crew, sharing stories and accents from around the world. Hanging out in Maya Mall, drinking litres of juice as a snack, backpack in tow, always sweating and looking the most unattractive I’ve ever been, feeling it too, but driven by the madness and novelty and excitement of it all. The world I’d watched on Youtube for years – I’d entered it, I was living it, I was free, I could do anything.

    Chiang Mai was a plethora of culture and nationalities, all meeting in this one city in Thailand, sharing one basic belief in animal rights, a basic belief in ethics, finally. Sharing stories of living in Tahiti, of cycling from Singapore to Thailand, of biking across Australia with just a sleeping bag and fruit, of nomads who had no jobs in the real world, who were earning money in alternative ways, and took off around the world whenever they chose.

    It was all brilliant – and I miss it a lot. I stayed for almost one month. Plenty of people were either staying on, some decided to move to Chiang Mai altogether, others set off in groups to cycle across Thailand. I had a job contract in the south of France near St Tropez, working on a campsite for the summer during July and August, so my next destination began back at the airport. Though I was excited to get to France for the summer, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I would make my way back to Chiang Mai.